William w



(No Model.)

W. W. BATCHELDBR, Jr. HQRR Patented.Apr.3,1894.

ml: NATIONAL LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY.

WASHINGTON. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM IV. BA'lC-IIELDER, JR., O F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TOTHE PHONOI-IARP COMPANY, OF BERWICK, MAINE.

HARP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,723, dated April 3,1894.

Application filed May 9, 1893. Serial No. 473,519- (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W. BATCHEL- DER, J r., of Boston, county ofSuffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inPhonoharps, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

This invention relates to musical instru- I0 ments of the zither or harpclass and which are provided with a bridge crossing the strings, saidbridge having openings to support the pick, or device, or fingers, forpicking the strings, instruments of this class being commonly designatedby the name phonoharp. In instruments of this class it -frequentlyhappens that the bridge settles under pressure or becomes bent out ofstraight line by blows, or by the wood of the harp 2o springing, and theunder side of the bridge becomes at times too close or too far from thestrings. In my experiments to overcome this trouble of displacement ofthe bridge, I have combined with the body and bridge, bridge-levelingdevices whereby the bridge may be brought to the desired level at anypoint.

Figure 1 shows a harp embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a much enlargedsection in 0 the line 01;, to show a leveling device; and Fig. 3, apartial section in the line as, the end of the bridge being broken out.

The body of the harp composed of top and bottom boards a, b, and middleboard I), all 3 5 joined in usual manner to side walls 19' of thedesired shape, and the strings I) and posts 2) to stretch them, are andmay be all as usual. The bridge dis composed preferably of sheet metal,and, as herein shown, it is provided with a series of parallellongitudinally-extended ribs 61, between which the metal or body of thebridge is cut out at intervals to leave spaces 2, 2, to thus exposecertain of the strings or wires, the openings in the bridges between 4.5the ribs being in such positions or made in such order as to uncoverdifferent desired strings, in order that they may be reached by theusual pick or the fingers. In order that this bridge may be adjustedvertically if for any reason the bridge and wire come too closetogether, I have provided means by which to support and adjustvertically such parts of the bridge as may be desired or necessary, Iemploying for such purpose what I shall denominate leveling devices,desi nated as e and c, said devices in the form in which I have hereinembodied my invention, being shown as stud screws having annular grooves10 below their heads, portions of the bridge entering said grooves, thebridge shown being provided along its edges above the strings withopen-sided pockets 6, shaped to receive and protect the heads of theleveling devices, the edges of the bridge entering the groove in theleveling devices, the rotation of the leveling devices raising orlowering the particular part of the bridge at and about the position ofthe leveling device. The leveling devices a are located at the ends ofthe bridge, the said ends being slotted.

In the construction herein employed to illustrate my invention theentire bridge or any part thereof may be adjusted vertically, but ifdesired, the leveling devices may be located only along the edges of thebridge crossing the strings, the ends of the bridge being rigidlyattached to the sounding-board in the usual manner.

I desire it to be understood that this invention consists broadly inproviding the bridge at desired points with leveling devices to vary itsposition and distance above or from the strings.

This invention is not limited to the particular'form of the levelingdevices shown, nor to the application of the same at the particularpoints shown.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination with a harp, its strings, and a bridge crossing saidstrings, of one or more leveling devices for said bridge by which thevertical distance of said bridge fromsaid strings may be adjusted 0rvaried, substan- 5 tially as described.

2. The combination with aharp, its strings, and. a bridge crossing saidstrings and supported at its ends; of one 01' more adjustable levelingdevices by which to adjust and con- 5 trol the distance vertically ofthe bridge be- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM. \V. BATOHELDER, J R.

Witnesses:

tween its end-supports, from the strings, snb- JOSEPH B. GREEN,

FREDERICK L. EMERY.

stantially as described.

